Playing on monarch

[damarcus]

How easy is it to beat the game on Monarch level?

[couerdelion]

With practice it's possible to win all the time. Even a very poor start should be something from which you can recover, or massed barbarians or an AI rush.

p.s. This is against the Warlords AI and not Blake's improved one

[damarcus]

My problem is that when the AI rushes me and destroys a city, I quit and start a new game. Maybe I'm not being very persevering, but at the same time, I feel that I've made mistakes that led to my being vulnerable in the early going -- mistakes that I'll not repeat the second time around.

[couerdelion]

Knowing the right time to build a basic defensive military is important. Also when to turn on the offensive is a strong play too. There's nothing like an early Axeman rush, or later Swordsman charge for adding some significant boost to your empire.

And Barbarian cities make quite easy targets

[Forwarn45]

I think how easy it is partially depends on what speed you play - so I am curious. Otherwise, I agree with the comments so far. At normal speed, I find building a worker very early (perhaps as a second build as soon as the city has increased in population so it builds faster) to be very important versus the monarch AI.

[damarcus]

I always play at the second slowest level, the one that's longer than normal, on a standard size, earth-like map.

[rah]

At the normal speed, I'm winning most games at monarch but still have difficulty when moving up to the next level. But it's almost time to try again. But I much prefer MP with better players.

[couerdelion]

Emperor is definitely a step up and you may need to adopt several different strategies to help you make the most at this level. This is probably a good thing since it teaches you a bit of versatility in the game so that not every one is a slingshot or an early rush. One of the biggest problems people have with stepping up a level is the far more restrictive growth limits which severely limit early game strategies.

Generally, you’ve got much smaller margins for mistakes at emperor level. Having your starting explorer wander into a bear early may be painful at Monarch level but you really feel it at Emperor level and learn to be a little more cautious to protect the little you have. Your basic objective is still to catch up with the AI and then build yourself a lead, it’s just a little further to catch up at emperor level and the AI moves a little faster.

Perhaps the recommendation would be to play with your favourite civ and strategy and see what is required to make this work at Emperor level. With an early rush it simply means getting this started sooner or getting a slightly better army. With a slingshot it means minimal or no diversions and a stronger starting location. Once you “learn” the level you get to figure out solutions to the new problems it presents.

[rah]

Yes, it's those little things. Like a quecha rush that can work on Monarchy but will usually fail miserably on Emperor.

[couerdelion]

Originally posted by rah
Yes, it's those little things. Like a quecha rush that can work on Monarchy but will usually fail miserably on Emperor.

Well the Quecha rush is workable on Emperor but will not always be the case. As with any rush strategy it relies on having a relatively close neighbour anyway and things will be more expensive on Emperor level too.

I suspect that it won’t work on Immortal level and unless someone knows otherwise, you can forget it at Deity level. Your closest neighbour will be a lot closer than they would be on the lower levels but their nearest city will be their third or fourth and they’ll already have copper.

[kiky]

Generally, if I survive to middle age I usually be able to win on Monarch.
But it all also depends on the game setting like map and number of AI.

[Saurus]

Even on Monarch you are quite dependent on the fact that no A.I decide to take you out early.
If Alex or Napoleon just decides you must die early on, then you fate is sealed no matter what you do.
That´s just a rule of life. (or a rule of CIV 4 rather)

So no - it is not possible to win every game. A skilled player however should be able to win fairly often.

[DirtyMartini]

It's easy enough for my Grandma, course she goes 6'2", 260 and runs a 4.5 forty...

But for me, I win about 50-50, mostly because I'm strategically inflexible -- conquest early and often. I'm working on it though. I'm trying to be more tolerant of slow starts and envisioning ways to dig out of them.

[Arrian]

Dazed and Confused reference. Nice.

Monarch is an adjustment I keep putting off. I know I could win that that level, but it would require that I give some things up that I don't want to give up. The free worker the AI starts with is a big deal... makes a huge difference (imagine if Blake really gets the AI to use that worker properly, too... yikes!).

-Arrian

[MasterDave]

The free worker can be an ideal poaching target if you run accross him with your first warrior right away.

I get my ass handed to me almost every game in emperor. The AI just grows and techs up too fast, while I go backrupt after building three cities.

I have won twice on Emperor. Ever.